How Much Can Youngstown Benefit From Leasing Mineral Rights For Public Lands?

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From WEKU News:
The 'Frackmolishing' Plan
Last fall, the city council agreed to seek bids for mineral rights on city-owned parcels, which collectively add up to several hundred acres. As early as this summer, Youngstown officials plan to consider lease proposals for $5,000 to $7,500 an acre, plus signing bonuses.
DeMaine Kitchen, chief of staff for Youngstown Mayor Charles Sammarone, is a proponent of this plan, which some refer to as "frackmolishing." Kitchen, who is running for mayor to succeed the out-going Sammarone, says old buildings must be cleared away to make room for growth.
"It's more than just tearing down everything," Kitchen said. "It's what you can build up."
He wants to replace decayed buildings with vibrant neighborhoods and businesses.
"If we had the money, I would like to create these, like promise neighborhoods, where you give special incentives to people to move into these neighborhoods," he said. "Or you create research parks or technology parks."
Read more about the decision facing Youngstown's leaders here.

Of course, there is plenty of opposition to the idea of generating money for the city in this way.  For example, one opponent of the plan says fracking uses hazardous chemicals and some kids already have asthma, so that makes leasing park land to the oil and gas industry a ludicrous idea.  She then pointed to the following health impact studies that have proven the clear and imminent danger to asthmatic children from the use of chemicals in fracking:




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